


Evergreen

by lizardhair



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), New Teen Titans
Genre: Angst, F/F, Friendship/Love, I wrote this a while ago and figured I might as well post it now, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 16:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17328182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizardhair/pseuds/lizardhair
Summary: Slade had dropped his sword and was ripping his mask off, hoping beyond reason that he was hallucinating, that his eye had finally betrayed him. But as he fell to his knees beside the shaking form of William Wintergreen, he knew that this was terribly true.





	Evergreen

**Author's Note:**

> "...our love was evergreen..." -"Think of Me," The Phantom of the Opera

He did it almost unconsciously, pushing the boy out of the line of fire and taking the shot in his place. As he fell to the plane’s floor, a gaping hole blown through his side, he saw the shock on Grant’s face, the dawning horror in his eyes.

 

***

 

Midway across the battlefield, Superman felt something shift in the man he presently fought alongside.

“Wilson? Wilson, focus!” The Kryptonian yelled as he pushed the man to the ground, a hail of alien gunfire peppering the air where the two had stood only seconds ago. “What’s wrong, what happened?”

Superman received no spoken answer, but when he met his allies’ one-eyed stare, he felt his skin crawl.

_“No,”_ said Wilson, and then he was gone, up from underneath Superman’s protective arm and back into the fray.

 

***

  


“Fuck,” spat Rose as she dodged the alien soldier’s blade. _This is not going well._ She and her adversary had somehow managed to escape from the main conflict and end up locked in a battle of their own. Rose took a swipe at the soldier with her swords and hit only air. _These fuckers are fast._

“Need a hand?”

Rose smiled at the sound of her girlfriend’s voice. She nodded and ducked as a chunk of earth was sent soaring over her head, connecting squarely with her enemy's... _everything_ with a crunch _._

Rose turned to see Tara, slightly bloodied but otherwise not much worse for wear.

“You alright, Rosie?”

“Better now that you’re here, honey,” Rose said, pecking Tara on the cheek.

“Ah, no, don’t kiss me, I’m all grody!” Tara laughed.

“Can’t be helped, you’re too damn cute.”

“Aw, shut up. We’ve gotta focus.”

“True,” Rose said, her demeanor returning to its serious state. “Where are the others?”

“Adeline is helping Batman with civilians in the northwest, Joey’s running around with Changeling, and I think Grant’s keeping an eye on Wintergreen and the plane.”

Rose relaxed a bit at the information, then frowned. “Wait, where’s Slade?”

Tara opened her mouth, then closed it, blinking. “I...I don’t know.”

“He’s off being an idiot somewhere, I'll bet,” Rose huffed. _Goddamn it, Dad._

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Tara said. “He always is.”

But she sounded worried.  


***

 

“No, no, _no,”_ gasped Slade as he ran up the plane’s ramp. “Please, no.” _Not this, anything but this._

“Dad--” Grant choked out as Slade stumbled past him and over to the man on the floor.

Slade had dropped his sword and was ripping his mask off, hoping beyond reason that he was hallucinating, that his eye had finally betrayed him. But as he fell to his knees beside the shaking form of William Wintergreen, he knew that this was terribly true.

_"Will,”_   Slade said, pulling the other man into his lap, his gloved hands going to the ragged hole in his oldest friend’s side. He was instantly covered in crimson past his wrists, the blood too hot, too _real._

“Slade…? That you?” Will slurred out, his eyes unfocused and cloudy.

Slade felt as though he couldn’t breathe, as though he was drowning. _This can’t be happening._ “It’s me, Will. It’s Slade.” As gently as possible, he removed a hand from Will’s side and placed on his neck, trying to support the other man’s head.

“Good,” said Will, his voice weak. “Grant...okay?”

“Yes, Will, god yes,” Slade said, nearly letting out a hysterical laugh. “But _you_ …what did you _do?”_

“Saved...him.” Will smiled softly at Slade with teeth stained red. “Couldn’t let you...lose your son.”

Slade spoke only in a whisper that was drowned out by the battle raging just outside of the plane. “I can’t lose you either, Billy.”

Will had somehow heard him, or read his lips. “Don’t...call me Billy. You know...d-damn well that I h-hate it.” His breathing was growing more ragged, and Slade pulled him closer to his chest.

“God, it’s...I’m so bloody _c-cold,_ Slade,” Will coughed, the action sending more blood cascading from his wound. “At least you’re warm...damn furnace that you are.”

Slade laughed at that, but it was through tears.

“I...I don’t want to die, Slade.” Now Will was crying, through he seemed unaware of it. “Still have...things I want to do. Never wrote that damn b-book. About all our s-stupid...stupid…” He broke off, dragging in a rattling breath. When he next spoke, it was so quietly that Slade nearly missed what he said.

“I’m scared, Slade. I’m so bloody scared.”

“Will, please, no, _no.”_

“A-and i-it’s not just _dying_ that I’m afraid of...it’s of what you’ll do when I’m dead.”

“Will, please, _please._ Don’t--don’t--”

Will brought a hand up and pressed it to Slade’s face, brushing his thumb against Slade’s lips. “I love you, you bloody idiot. Always have...always...will.”

Slade felt Will stop breathing, saw the light fade from those brilliant hazel eyes. His world went silent, then began to hum.

  


***

 

Grant watched as his father set Will’s body on the steel of the plane’s floor. He did it carefully, as though the corpse was made of the finest glass imaginable. Without a word, Slade stood, picked up his sword, and walked out of the plane. He didn’t bother to put his mask back on.


End file.
